"Quickies" 19 - Traces of Plymouth's Past

This well hidden and easily missed memorial tablet is set into the ground near St Andrews Cathedral in Plymouth. It is set in an open area of grass alongside Royal Parade and marks the site of a formerly busy and chaotic part of ancient Plymouth. Part of the history pertains to an actual Royal visit in 1789 by George III.

It reads.....

Immediately in front of this wall lately stood a row of stalls called Flesh Shambles which narrowed the space from the opposite houses to about nine feet. On the right hand were two houses which considerably confined the entrance to the Church; immediately in front was a building called the Fish Market taken down on his Majesty coming to this borough in the year 1789; on the left hand by Buckingham Steps were some miserable, loathsome almshouses; and at the entrance of Old Town stood a conduit and the New Shambles, all of which for the greater comfort and convenience of the inhabitants and persons resorting to the town have, with great liberality and public spirit on the part of the Mayor commonally been removed and the present New Market erected. To commemorate these improvements this tablet was set up 4th June 1813.

Everything mentioned is now gone, including the replacements, as this area was heavily bombed during World War 2, leaving only this trace of history, survivor to the past. Some stone pillars from the original Flesh Shambles still survive because they had been repurposed earlier, and I will hunt them down at a later date.

The King in whose honour all of the loathsomeness was eradicated was George III. I have found a detailed account of the Royal visit which was on a scale rarely seen today. This from the Aris's Birmingham Gazette of Monday 24th August 1789.

On Monday 17th August 1789 at 9 o'clock "their Majesties and the Princesses, attended by Lord Courtown and Col. Goldsworthy, left Saltram house ; the roads and hedges from the outer gate of the Park were lined with people. At the entrance of the town, opposite the Mayor's house, a triumphal arch was erected in a stile infinitely more correct and elegant than any we have seen upon this occasion. It consisted of the arch and two posterns, with oaken wreaths supporting the King's Arms, with a motto "Vivant Rex et Regina". Without this arch, the arrangements were as follow : First, Lady Rogers's charity children, 35 girls, neatly dressed in blue and white. They were drawn up before the school door, which is a convenient building. Next the invalids, in rank and file, who really made a good appearance; but it was curious to see drummers of 6o years of age fired with all the agility of youth at the sight of their Sovereign. Then the Mayor and Recorder, eleven Aldermen, and 24 Common

Councilmen in their gowns......

.......The band of South Devon militia, preceded by constables, walked first; then the Mayor and Corporation. The King, Queen and Princess Royal, the Princesses Amelia and Elizabeth, the Duke of Richmond, and Lord George Lenox (Governor of the fort), on horseback, and Lord Courtown and the other attendants in coaches. The procession moved slowly down White cross-street and through the town, amidst an immense concourse of people ; the bells ringing, the cannon of the fort continually saluting. His Majesty was highly pleased, and at the beginning of Stone-house lane, where the Corporation took leave, he expressed his satisfaction at the manner in which the Corporation had conducted themselves, and the great regularity which had prevailed amidst such a vast concourse of people.....

.....At Stonehouse there was another triumphal arch; but not so beautiful, or so systematic, as that at the entrance of the town. At eleven, the Royal suite reached the Dock, where the throng of people had greatly increased ; they were received by the South Devon militia, and the troops in garrison ; the firing continuing for ten minutes, first by companies, then by divisions, and lastly a feu-de-joye. The cannon on the ramparts next fired, and they were answered by another salute from the fort at Plymouth....

....After taking some refreshment, the Royal Family went in barges on board the Impregnable of ninety guns, Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton. His Majesty's barge, which was steered by Capt. Bayard, the Admiralty Captain, had the standard flying, and was preceded by the Admiralty barge. The rest of the barges followed in their different stations, to the number of about forty, which, together with the prodigious number of pleasure boats, and the fineness of the day, formed the most beautiful sight imaginable.....

Tours of the dockyard and various ships followed.

At half after three his Majefty, the Queen, and Princesses, left the Dock, and proceeded in state barges up Catwater to Saltram. They were attended by an immense number of sloops, barges, and boats ; the fort, all the ships at anchor, and lastly the cannon in the Park, saluting as they passed. Preparations are making for a grand illumination this evening in Plymouth and Dock, and all the adjacent seats in the neighbourhood.

The huge presence of excited crowds and a harbour covered in various craft was, however, to lead to an accident which marred the celebrations somewhat.

Four o'clock,-Since writing to you, a dreadful accident has dissipated all our joy, and turned

it into mourning. A small sloop without ballast, off Mutton Cove, opposite the gun-wharf at North Point, was so loaded with people, who, in spite of all remonstrances, crowded up the masts, that it overturned, and not less than 30 persons perished. His Majesty's barge had passed by some minutes before, consequently he was not a witness to this dreadful catastrophe.

By the next day it emerged that it was between 10 and 12 who had perished. The King took part in a review of the fleet out at sea aboard The Southampton.

When the King's ship had weathered Mewstone Point, she descried the whole of the fleet, and fired one gun. At this time the scene was beautiful, there being above a hundred different vessels, sloops, and yachts in motion, and the shore covered with spectators. The review then commenced.

As each ship passed the King, she cheered; and after the rear ship had passed, the whole fleet gave a royal salute. When the Southampton came in full view of the fleet, a general salute took place; after this, ceremony was ended.

There then followed a mock sea battle and when "they thought it was all over".

The people on shore conceived it was all over, but they were mistaken, for the French line (as it was called) wore upon the larboard tack, and faced the English with redoubled vigour. This continued till half after one.......... when of course the English became conquerors, and then, to make use of a bold figure, both fleets shook hands, and saluted the Southampton.

His Majesty returned highly pleased with his excursion, about half after three, under a salute

of the fort, &c.